Montella's first comments after the draw

Following the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers play-off round, A National Team Head Coach Vincenzo Montella made statements regarding the process.

After the draw ceremony held in Zurich, Switzerland, Montella evaluated the opponents and the upcoming matches.

HE TOUCHED UPON THE ROMANIA MATCHUP

Reminding that Turkey was paired with Romania in the semi-final stage, Montella emphasized that head coach Mircea Lucescu knows Turkish football very well. Montella stated, "We know that Lucescu has served both in the Turkish National Team and in Turkish clubs in the past. He is a coach who is familiar with the Turkish football mentality. Therefore, a challenging matchup awaits us."

HE DREW ATTENTION TO POTENTIAL FINAL OPPONENTS

Evaluating the potential opponents in the play-off final, Montella also reminded that there is an Italian head coach at the helm of Slovakia. Montella said, "Both Kosovo and Slovakia are teams that can play compactly. We will continue to approach the process match by match. Although playing the final match away is seen as a disadvantage, we believe that after this stage, it does not hold much importance."